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The Poem “If We Must Die”, by Claude Mckay portrays the deep feelings felt during the conflict between blacks and whites in America in the early 20th century. Both are filled with imagery that captures the imagination of people and compel them to act or be annihilated by social evils taking place. Masculinity: The whole business of fighting either bravery or nobly is associated with men. The general world is also blamed since they just look down to the plight of the blacks as they continue to be oppressed (Chapman, 372). The poet is not actually just fantasizing death but facing it. The extent to which racism was eating the society disillusioned him that he sought a way to express it, hence this poem and many others. The key word "defy" at the poem's halfway point encourages outright opposition, even when that means death, and the speaker clearly sees violence as justified when responding to murder and oppression. There is an irony in the way dogs are portrayed as mocking the enemy; a hungry dog would not necessarily play with food. Line eight summarizes this theme, “shall be constrained to honor us though dead!” (Shmoop, 2010). This is also seen in the line encouraging people to face the murderous, cowardly pack like men. Free, fun, and packed with the most important details! In comparing hungry dogs hunting their prey to the enemies, the poet wants to bring about the inhuman aspect associated with them. McKay's more militant approach is seen in the the phrases "If we must die," "let us nobly die," "honor us though dead," and "Pressed to the wall, dying." Throughout the poem, the speaker encourages his allies to realize their humanity through the embrace of heroic ideals, and he also condemns their enemy as vicious inhuman "monsters." A grouping of artists and writers combined to form a movement whose pride was in their endeavors. Registered office: Venture House, Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 7PJ. It is astounding to note that over three million people were even denied to read the Bible, the only material that could provide hope in the face of adversity. “Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,” McKay wrote, “Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!”. The black people were by then desperate and rebellion was rife. As people increase and get enlightened, those perpetuating slavery are loosing their hold because of the pressure. Claude McKay was born in 1890 in Jamaica. All the words of the poem can only refer to men talk since history also depicts men as warriors. To shape its negative depiction of surrender in the first quatrain, the poem relies not just on the comparison to hogs but on the sense that not resisting will mean being "penned" and surrounded. The Red Summer was the motivation behind McKay's "If We Must Die. It was … These first four lines … Both of these forms are meant to sway the ignorant listeners and provoke a reaction. Since the poem suggests a reality where death will come regardless, it does not encourage attempts to circumvent or resist the impending death. Oh, Kinsmen! This hate is too strong and can be complemented by love one feel for his country; America in the New World was meant to be a place devoid of all oppression and an utopia to live in. Company Registration No: 4964706. It is a poem of political resistance: it calls for … Death is the poem's main theme, invoked in the title, the first and last line, and many times in between. From this ideology, he assumes they are oppressed and therefore are justified to fight honorably and die honorably. We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. Claude McKay was born in Jamaica in 1889; he had a great sense of racial Pride and in 1912 travel to Alabama to attend Tuskegee Institute. Using an iambic pentameter, imagery and ending it with a couplet is a way to emphasize the theme of honor and pride that he wants to portray to the reader. The blacks have presented a number of grievances and they are given an assurance that they will be acted upon. If We Must Die, by Claude McKay is a sonnet written during the Harlem Renaissance period; a period where there was a flowering of African-American literature and art … The writer points out that slavery had created a gap between the oppressor and the oppressed. Pigs usually don’t die in a noble way and this is a depiction of the kind of death awaiting the oppressed in the pursuit of their rights. What though before us lies the open grave? Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? It was during these years that riots related to race were experienced in the United States of America. Dying nobly. according to the speaker, how should a person face death?explain your answer in detail. GradeSaver. "If we must die" by Claude McKay If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. Harlem Renaissance: Harlem renaissance played a major role in showing that blacks too had literary abilities by contributing much towards poetry, music and art. The speaker accepts his fate in war,And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow! Its popularity grew to an extent that come World War II, the British PM, Churchill applied it as a motivation in fighting the Nazi under Adolf Hitler. Tropes bring about the helplessness and relentless of the people faced with oppression. Further analogy relates selling and buying slaves is compared to the same act people regard beasts. The poem was a wake up call for the blacks to stand up and fight for their rights. By choosing hogs, the writer wants to bring about the powerlessness of the enemies. Published: 1st Jan 1970 in "If We Must Die" is a Shakespearean sonnet, using iambic pentameter and a rhyme scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, gg. The Question and Answer section for If We Must Die is a great An Address to the Slaves of the United States: It was addressed to African-American slaves who were undergoing a harsh life. Theme The theme of this poem is, "Fight for what you believe and never give up when the odds may be slim." To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! The poet Melvin B. Tolson described the poem's theme as "ignobleness versus nobleness in man's tragedy," highlighting the imbrication of ideals of nobility and masculinity and invoking a classical sense of "tragedy." Looking for a flexible role? He entered USA in 1912 and soon became aware of evils of racism. It reflects the racism and violence around Unlike many other works in the Harlem Renaissance that followed, "If We Must Die" encourages violent resistance, and the poem's powerful case for resistance has no doubt contributed to its broad and longstanding appeal. If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed. This sonnet form gives the poem a sense of forward … He was educated by his older brother, who possessed a library of English novels, poetry, and scientific texts. In vain; then even the monsters we defy. The speaker of "If We Must Die" assumes that the foe will? Copyright © 2003 - 2021 - UKEssays is a trading name of All Answers Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. tone for "If We Must Die." Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UKEssays.com. In concluding the address, the masses are given a choice between death and liberty. Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! Death is the poem's main theme, invoked in the title, the first and last line, and many times in between. While the speaker's rhetoric, in general, is organized around a binary, us-versus-them opposition, this often takes on the specific form of human versus non-human. Examples of rhetoric are thus: Hogs are castrated male pigs and this rhetoric refers to the way people die without choice as they are hunted by vicious dogs. Death is inevitable. He was ambitious and educated despite belonging to a minority race. Many heroes and martyrs are named to influence those who would be cowardly to face the fight they are about to embark on. Honor: Through out the poem are acts that the speaker feels should be treated with honor and respect. Imagery is utilized, in cases where tropes come in to play. His articles and essay had to do with blacks issues like civil rights; community based ethnic development and ethnic pluralism in America and the world (Holt and Winston, 5). Moreover, if we read the "us" in the poem as referring to African Americans, then these nonhuman descriptions condemn the racist rhetoric of the time and assert that it is the racist whites who are actually subhuman and animal-like. If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! The opening line “If we must die” is supposed to encourage bravery to the fighters to go out there and act regardless of the consequences. Tropes such as metaphor and irony are types of rhetoric that have been used in the poem. McKay urges his people to fight bravery regardless of whether they die or not; and death is likely. “If we must die, O let us nobly die”, and eventhough the person might be by far outnumbered, beaten and maimed not to … In-depth explanations of the themes found in If We Must Die. Slavery brought a lot of misery to the people. THEMATIC ANALYSIS. Warfare: The impression crated in the poem is one of a brewing war. Mckay imagination led him to love literature where he saw an opportunity to expand his thoughts in poetry. Honor In vain; then even the monsters we defy. For example, McKay uses a line “though far outnumbered let us show us brave” and this can be compared to the Garnet statement that “we are four million”. There is a call to never give up. The Renaissance was fueled by migrations of African-Americans from Caribbean and Manhattan and soldiers returning from World War I who felt pride in their military escapades. The speaker in "If we must die" emphasizes the importance of. VAT Registration No: 842417633. It seems his people are overpowered and it is them who look as being hunted, hence the need to retaliate. His fantasies about death exceed those of Emily Dickinson and other Romantic poets like Keats. The theme is: in some occasions, dying for what one believes in is the only option. In the first line of the sonnet “If we must die, let it not be like hogs”. Still, what the speaker invokes here is not guerrilla warfare but a more literary notion of meeting face-to-face in battle, and the poem is not meant to describe a nuanced politics or a literal project of resistance but to provoke the right emotions in its audience. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs. Death is a reality to them as shown in the line ending …before us lies the open grave. The first works in form of two books was done whilst still in Jamaica in the local dialect. So that our precious blood may not be shed. If we must die, the Shakespearean sonnet by Claude McKay was published in 1919 and has become a significant part of American literature, as it came to fruition in the midst of a cultural revolution. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! In … The fight will rely on all these inspiration and the search for freedom all coupled by the fact that they are numerous; four million sufferers (Widmer, and Ted, 314). Claude McKay was born in Jamaica on September 15, 1889. Many black writers living in Harlem in 1920’s became involved in a Renaissance so as to provide a voice to the masses about these attacks. With honor and masculinity … It is in death where honor is bestowed and regarded more than life with oppression. Our academic experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have. Lexis on the other hand deals with emotions that appeal to human conditions. Instead, the speaker suggests that true freedom comes in accepting fate and dying nobly, which will force oppressors to show one honor after death. Such inspiring works were common in vernacular tradition and almost all had to do with a quest for freedom. Clearly provocative and even chilling, If We Must Die by Claude McKay stirs deep and powerful emotions in any who reads it. The speaker says “if we must die, O let us nobly die” (McKay 5). And at the end of the poem, the speaker returns to an image of constraint—"pressed to the wall"—but now encourages us to picture not an execution but valiant men fighting to the bitter end. If we as humans die in whatever situation arises, let it not be like an animal, inhumane, without a name and unjust. McKay published more poems in Eastman’s magazine, notably the inspirational “ If We Must Die ,” which defended Black rights and threatened retaliation for prejudice and abuse. If We Must Die Deandre & Lauren By: Claude Mckay Attitude The attitude that the speaker expresses in the poem is very intense. McKay's speaker in "If We Must Die" focuses a great deal on nobility, bravery, and honor – stereotypically masculine features. Christian imagery: The shedding of “precious blood” can be associated with biblical story of the death of Jesus whereby his death is seen purposeful redeeming man. “If We Must Die” can be seen as a forebearer to the civil rights movement, as it inspired a generation to think of themselves not only as people and victims but as fighters in a battle for their own humanity. Poetry Analysis Essay: Claude McKay’s “If We Must Die” In the poem, “If We Must Die” written by Claude McKay, the author was inspired to compose this piece of writing because of the brutality and race riots against the African American society that the United States experienced in 1919. If we must die, let it not be like hogs. It also brought out pride and dignity amongst black in the face of oppression by the majority whites (Haskins J. et al, 152). Info: 1927 words (8 pages) Essay "If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, If We Must Die. English Literature. much time was wasted to bring it to this end that vernacular tradition writers felt must not be so. If we must die, let it not be like hogs. This can be interpreted as instilling bravery on fellow blacks who were undergoing tough times. Rhetorical strategies: Rhetoric is divided in to taxis which deals with the argument structure and the way lines and phrases contribute to effective understanding. It should not be a matter of concern the lack of rules, revenge and unstoppable bravery as long as people fight and die for a just cause. No plagiarism, guaranteed! The poem thus became an inspiration to black so that they could resist the attacks. The image brought up is in form of vicious dogs which stir a kind of fear to the listener. McKay uses a number of styles in the poem such as the octave, sestet and mockery. If We Must Die Lyrics. Colonists, the British, had taken slavery to a higher level by embracing its advantage and this led to people fighting for independence and liberty. He seems more preoccupied by the way he dies rather if it happens and how. The poet … In the rhetoric and logic of the poem, then, humanity—and its values of honor, glory, and worth—is ineluctably tied up with masculinity, and as the critic Marcellus Blount states, "whatever the position of women, for McKay this is a battle between men.". The first quatrain unfolds as just one sentence, beginning with the eponymous line "If we must die," which will be repeated twice in the poem. One of the things that seems to have given the poem its universal appeal is its reference to highly traditional notions of bravery, glory, and heroism. If We Must Die By: Claude McKay If We Must Die, by Claude McKay is a sonnet written during the Harlem Renaissance period; a period where there was a flowering of African-American literature and art, (1919- mid 1930s).Though the Harlem Renaissance period was a time of thriving people and culture in the African-American community, prejudice was still very much active; something … "If We Must Die" and the Theme of Death When we consider the hypothesis that the meaning here passes through the entire poem [9], we observe that the subject of the poem appears already if one considers the general architecture of the strongly static title "If We Must Die" If We Must Die, which is the first illustration or formal resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The riots had wrought havoc in the country and were characterized by savage acts, massacres, tragedy and unjustifiable deaths of blacks. GradeSaver "If We Must Die Themes". What though before us lies the open grave? Strikingly, and rather unusually for McKay, "If We Must Die" refuses the "I" of the modern lyric poem in favor of the plural pronouns "we," "us," and "our." Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. Boldness and courage are felt in both works since they stood to provide a voice to the masses. The Poem “If We Must Die”, by Claude Mckay portrays the deep feelings felt during the conflict between blacks and whites in America in the early 20th century. All work is written to order. Much of the power of the poem itself, however, comes from the fact that McKay does not, in Tolson's words, "hog-tie the free will of the attacked by the imposition of an affirmative decision." If we must die, O let us nobly die. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. In conclusion, the “poem” as well as the “address” brings about a sense of hate to an evil that is making people miserable. Perhaps a look at the writer’s life may provide an insight on what the poem was all about. These ideals might seem fundamentally antithetical to the poem's post-World War I moment, where millions of men had just died in a long and senseless war that for many proved the futility of "glory" and "heroism." Indeed, the sense of impending death is the poem's sine qua non, and while the speaker clearly has no morbid desire for death for death's sake, he acknowledges death without hesitation, encouraging his allies not just to face death but to deliver it to their "common foe." Apart from the normal transaction of man as a beast, other barbaric activities took place like separating children from parents, raping young women and forced labor. The poem talks about death in the sense of dying for a noble cause. What does line 12 of "If We Must Die" most likely mean. By using the ritual of hunting as an image, we observe from traditions that the purpose is to kill, as it turns out when one is hunting an animal. In the vernacular tradition chapters dealing with spirituals, gospel and secular rhymes, the themes are similar and are closely tied to the message in the poem. Most of them had never enjoyed liberty and peace but were met by corruption, cruelty and slavery. In lines 1, 5 and 11 he states, “If we must die,”(1) “O let us nobly die,”(5) “And for their thousand blows deal one death blow!”(11).

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